Gun Shows: When is the last time you got a bonafied deal at one

T

TXAZ

New member
We were talking about the recent Austin Gun Show, general consensus was no deals, prices at or above list / market pricing.

For me the last deal I got at a gun show was 1440 rounds of 7.62x39 for $69, in 1994. Haven't seen anything below street pricing (much less the entry and parking costs) in the last 10 years.

You?
 
Not uncommon. $600 for a WWII production Springfield M1 Garand. Considering the ammo thrown in, about $359 for a pristine 1950 Tula SKS, straight across trade of a S&W 442 for a Brazilian contract S&W Model 1917, straight across trade of a Kimber Royal I had an offer of $700 on for a 1966 4" blue Python. Straight across trade of a Para PDA for a 98%+ condition Colt Detective Special in box with papers. Those were over the past five years or so. Haven't been to a gun show in a couple of years now.
 
I have found deals, but i usually focus on what i am interested in. I usually go with two or three things I am looking for and price the place. Then I do a quick online comparison before buying. I got a flashlight that MSRPs for $50, commonly found online for $42, but I got at the show for $30 with some discussion. That was two shows ago.

Last year got a Sig Mk25 for under $800. That was last year.

I have also seen, but didn't buy, a few new .22 pistols (browning and rugers) for less than retail, on par with online. That was a couple shows back.
 
Late 90's, bought cases of Remington 22 ammo for $95 OTD for a case that has 6250 rounds in it
Managed to score a NIB SKB 20 gauge O/U for $300 plus an older guild gun from Belgium
Ace gun cases direct from the maker for $5 for pistol cases and $15 for rifle cases - these are leather cases made in the US

Deals USED to be out there, not so much any more
 
I don't find deals at the gun show except that at the TX shows you get better prices on standard NIB than most stores, if you pick the right dealer.

I suppose my best 'deal' was for a SW 432 for about $320 ish when they were being dumped as out of production.

I find better used deals at a LGS. Ammo is better in the big box stores.
 
My wife and kid had never been to a gun show before. The gun shows at the George R Brown in Houston used to be huge when I went to them, but I hadn't been in years. Last year I took them to a show at the GRB. It was beyond lame.
There were, literally, only two models of shoulder holster for sale in the entire show.
There was only one table in the whole show selling shotguns and it was selling antiques.
There was only one table in the whole show with the pistol I was mainly interested in, and they had it zip tied so you couldn't do anything with it.
The prices were all above retail.
It was pretty horrible. I hope gun shows have got better since last year. Thank goodness there was a Corvette show in another part of the hall the same day. That was enjoyable.
 
I don't really find "deals" at gun shows, but considering the fact that all of the LGS's around here charge over MSRP, seeing things at or slightly below MSRP is almost like finding a deal by comparison...I hate California...
 
My experience is I don't usually find a deal on what I was looking for , but deals can still be had. Bought a very nice Mernickle holster for my Alaskan for $20. Looks like new. Suspect it was $150 or so new. Much nicer than the Hunter Cabela's is selling for $65. Well worth the $10 admission.
 
I get a bona-fide deal on something at 3/4 of the gun shows I attend.

Here's the trick though:

I NEVER go with just one or two things I'm looking for. Just read the previous posts and you'll see why. If your focus is narrow, you miss out and leave frustrated("only 2 models of shoulder holsters!" Really? How many do you require to consider it a good show?). Now, I don't blame folks for knowing what they want, but having a mind open to possibilities helps find the deals.

I don't buy just any old gun, and of course you've got to know what you're looking at so you don't end up with a pig-in-a-poke, but there's definitely deals to be had if you look.

Ask dealers if they have anything they've taken in on trade that day. Ask folks who are walking around with gun boxes under their arm if they're selling, take the time to chat with the collectors and private sale guys. You learn a lot, and if you're smart enough to bring something(or 2 somethings) to trade, maybe you'll wind up with a good deal.

My $0.02
 
Last time I got a decent deal at a show was in Oct2012 for a Glock19 I bought for $360. A few months ago I went with a friend who bought a nice Hex Mosin 91/30 for $180. Other than that, I haven't really gone too much to the shows. I would imagine AR15 items would be a deal right now though
 
I picked up a very clean S&W Mountain Gun, blued, 4" bbl, in 45 Colt with custom grips for $700 a couple years ago. Maybe not a screaming deal but nice enough for what I wanted.

I also - at the same show - picked up a Norinco SKS missing about $50 in parts (gas piston, spring, handguard) for $100.

I guess as long as you have a good sized list of things you want you can find a deal on something.
 
I'd say 8 months ago. I found one of the first Colt Mustangs ever manufactured in 99% condition - one of the first 50 ever made (not a special edition either), sporting genuine ivory grips too! Funny thing is no one was even looking at it, until I asked to see it - then suddenly people took notice of it - I knew they weren't going to buy it, so I waited for them to leave to do a little negotiating.

I paid a premium, but a fair premium for the little Mustang. It might be worth a bit more than what I paid for it now - who knows, but it's cool as heck! I'll probably keep that one and pass it down to my kid. I'd have to put away the ivory grips and put some pink pearlite grips on it, and then she might actually keep it (if I could bring myself to do such a horrific thing!)

Like others who have actually purchased guns at gunshows have said, the "good deal" is probably going to be on a gun that you weren't actually on the hunt for.

Finding a little gem in the rubble once in a blue moon keeps me coming back to gun shows.
 
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Three years ago I bought a Effingham-made Blackjack Model 1-7 with subhilt for $65 from a single-table seller. I recently sold it for almost $500.
 
Over the years I have gotten some truly awesome deals at gun shows like A Colt Python for 400, A WW2 M-1 Inland carbine for 400, a Ruger mini 14 for 400 because the owner said it would not cycle took I took it home threw away the crap 30 round mag took it apart and found out why it would not cycle. I guess the guy who had it did not realize that you have to clean it like ever. The gas port was completely shut from all the carbon. Cleaned it took it to the range worked perfect. Still have the Python and the M-1 carbine to this day sold the Mini for 750 during the assault rifle ban. As to lately there are deals if you know what you are looking at. The last gun show I went they had two marlins in 30/30 for 240 a good deal in my book but I didn't need them so I passed. The gun show before that one a guy had a Stainless Berretta 92 on his table for 400. I will say that the only time I find awesome deals nowadays is when I have no money. Going to one this weekend let you know how it went.:D
 
Maybe 10 years ago, I bought an apparently unfired, rifled, cantalevered barrel, wood stock Rem 11-87 for $400.

Since then, haven't seen a deal worth negotiating.
 
Gunshows are the only place I've ever gotten a true deal on anything. I'd agree that the vast majority of the dealers there are overpriced, but if you go and actually look deals are there. I can't remember every buying a new gun at a show, I can get those at LGS cheaper.

More often than not I don't find any deals and come home with most of the cash I take. I rarely go looking for anything specific, but will usually take a gun I no longer want to use as trade bait along with $600-$700 in cash. If I find a deal I often buy it, even if I don't really want or need it. If the deal is good enough to make a profit on later I'll buy. Some of my best guns were purchased at very little actual cost to me by trading up at a profit using guns bought cheap at gunshows.

The deals are on used guns, especially at the smaller tables and with private sellers. Marked prices are just an optimistic suggestion. Make an offer, you might be surprised at how little some guys will take. Especially on Sunday as they are packing up to leave.

I buy almost all of my handgun ammo and a lot of 5.56 from www.georgia-arms.com. They have a table at all local shows and I'll often go to shows close by just to buy a few hundred dollars worth of ammo from them. The admission price is cheaper than paying shipping or driving to the factory.
 
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